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GRAVLAX: GOOD TO EAT, GOOD FOR YOU!
I loved smoked salmon, but home-smoking salmon requires some specialized
equipment (making it less than simple), and not everyone can afford
to buy it already smoked (although at many stores that sell nova lox
and other types of smoked salmon, you can purchase the trimmings at
really low prices). I also love the gentle flavors of gravlax, which
is cured raw salmon (by marination and maceration, which change the
structure of the fish's proteins; "gravlax" means "buried
salmon," referring to the ancient practice of burying fresh caught
salmon in the sand of the tidal zone to "cure" it). It took
me years to begin experimenting with gravlax, because so many "professionals"
made it look sloppy and like it would take up a huge part of my refrigerator.
Well, once I tried it, and added my own innovations, I discovered
that it is so simple that absolutely anyone can do it. Not only is
it good as the star of an appetizer course, but it also has so many
fantastic applications (just like smoked salmon!)
As the title indicates, gravlax (like all forms of salmon) is good
for you. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which provide cardiovascular
health benefits, including lowering the risk of stroke, primarily
by reducing the likelihood of blood to clot within arteries. Salmon
is also an excellent source of the vitamins B3 (niacin), B5, B6,
and B12, as well as selenium (selenium is believed to offer certain
cancer prevention benefits). Salmon may even confer various mental
benefits, including possibly providing some protection from Alzheimer's
disease. Sure, if you are sodium sensitive, this might not be the
best way to get your nutrients, but otherwise, just remember that
salmon is considered by some to be one of the world's healthiest
foods (www.whfoods.com).
Now, make some Gravlax!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb salmon fillets (in two same-sized pieces), skin on
- ¼ c salt
- ¼ sugar
- 1 T pepper (coarsely ground, or cracked peppercorns)
Technique:
Begin this process 2.5 to 3 days before you need the finished gravlax.
Combine the salt, sugar and pepper in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Check
the fillets for any remaining pin bones by rubbing your fingers
up and down the flesh side of each fillet; use tweezers, needle
nose pliers (my fave) or your fingernails to remove the pin bones
(if you miss any, you will find them easily when you begin slicing
the gravlax). Place one fillet, skin-side down, into a zipper-lock
or otherwise sealable plastic bag; pour the salt-sugar-pepper mixture
on top of the first fillet and use your fingers to distribute the
dry mixture over the fillet evenly. Place the second fillet, flesh-side
down onto the dry mixture on the first fillet so that the two pieces
line up evenly, rather like a salmon sandwich with a filling of
salt, sugar and pepper. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible
and seal with the zipper-lock or other sealing mechanism. Place
the bag with the fillets in any tray or bowl where they can lie
as flat as possible. Place another tray or plate or bowl over the
fillets, and weight with some canned goods from your pantry. Place
the trays/bowls in the refrigerator. Flip the fillets in their plastic
bags every 12 hours (more or less); everything is just so neat and
tidy this way. After 2.5 to 3 days, remove the fillets from the
refrigerator and from the plastic bag, and rinse them under cold
water (you can wash out the plastic bag and reuse it for your next
batch of gravlax).
Slicing:
To slice the gravlax, you will need a cutting board and a very sharp
long-bladed knife. Be aware that fish flesh forms flakes (myomeres,
in biological jargon), and you want to slice the salmon ACROSS those
flakes, perpendicular to them, not parallel with them, just like
carving any meat or poultry. Starting 1" from one end, and
holding the knife almost parallel to the board, and cut a section
out of the salmon; this will not be a perfect piece, as it bears
a "corner" of the fillet, so feel free to just eat it!
Getting back to the fillet, move the edge of your knife slightly
in from where you began to slice before, continue holding it almost
parallel to the board but angled oh-so-slightly downward, and cut
another slice down to the skin and then turning the knife up to
separate the slice from the skin. Continue doing this until the
entire fillet has been sliced, and then slice the other one. Accept
the reality that "practice makes perfect" when slicing
gravlax. Also accept that, after years of doing this, not every
slice will be perfect, or identical to others. If I am slicing gravlax
for a party or other presentation where I want some uniformity among
the slices, I separate my slices into two groups: those for the
presentation, and those for some future application where uniform
size isn't so desirable (don't be bothered if your latter pile is
larger than your former pile!). Gravlax can be frozen in tight plastic
wrap for six months (or more, but don't quote me!).
Variations:
Dilled Gravlax: Follow the basic
recipe for Gravlax to the point of adding the salt-sugar-pepper
mixture onto the first fillet; for this recipe, add only half of
the salt mixture to the first fillet. Instead of capping the salt
mixture with the other fillet, take one bunch of fresh dill, rip
it in half (so that it will fit on top of, and between, the fillets
better), and place on top of the first fillet. Place the second
fillet into the interior of the zipper-lock bag, flesh side up,
and cover with the remaining salt mixture, and press it into the
flesh as much as possible; carefully, turn the second fillet flesh-side
down onto the dill, so that a salmon sandwich with a dill filling
is formed. Continue following the basic gravlax recipe for 2.5 to
3 days, and slice as you would any gravlax. NOTE: dried dill just
doesn't seem to work well here.
Scandinavian Gravlax: This is a
more sophisticated version of the Dilled Gravlax. Add 1 T of cracked
or ground juniper berries to the sugar-salt-pepper mixture. Follow
the recipe as for Dilled Gravlax. Alternatively, or additionally,
add ¼ c aquavit to the salt mixture before spreading it (use
vodka or gin if you don't have or don't like aquavit). The alcohol
will NOT dissipate from the gravlax, so alert any fellow diners
if you use aquavit (or vodka or gin).
Southwestern Gravlax: Follow the
basic recipe for Gravlax, but add 1 T dried chile flakes or 1 t
chile powder to the salt mixture. Also add one bunch of fresh cilantro,
torn to fit the fillets, as in the Dilled Gravlax recipe. NOTE:
the chile can be omitted if only the cilantro is desired.
Border Town Gravlax: Follow the
recipe for Southwestern Gravlax (with or without the chiles), but
add ¼ c tequila to the salt mixture (as the aquavit, gin
or vodka were added for Scandinavian Gravlax).
Pseudo-Smoked Salmon: the degree
of smokiness for this recipe is contingent on your tolerance of
chile heat. It involves adding up to 1 T of chipotle powder, smoked
hot Spanish paprika, or smoked sweet Spanish paprika (the last being
the mildest) to the salt mixture of the basic Gravlax; 1 t will
be barely smoky at all, but also not spicy; both qualities increase
with the volume of chile added. Either dill or cilantro (or neither)
can be used within the salmon sandwich; if used, proceed as with
Dilled or Southwestern Gravlax. Proceed as for basic Gravlax if
not using any herbs.
Applications:
Plated Gravlax: the service can
be as simple as some attractively arranged slices of gravlax with
some slices of good bread (rye, pumpernickel, baguette, or your
favorite) or some good crackers (and maybe some butter), or it can
be made more complex with the added choices of capers, chopped onion
(preferably red, Vidalia or Maui, but plain old white or yellow
onion will work, also), chopped green onions/scallions, chopped
shallots, thinly sliced and caramelized onion, roasted garlic, chopped
hard-cooked eggs, tapenade, pesto, mustard, sour cream, crème
fraiche, even caviar (sturgeon or otherwise!). Just enjoy it.
There are many other applications for any these versions of gravlax,
but I won't take up space here outlining them. I'll save the details
for another time, but let your imaginations work wonders with such
titles as Scrambled Eggs and Salmon, Breakfast Burritos with Salmon,
GLT Sandwich (that's Gravlax-Lettuce-Tomato), Salmon Cream Sauce,
Salmon Wine Sauce, and Salmon Carbonara. Just don't obscure the
flavor of the gravlax with too much "stuff."
Guests to Casa Beall often enjoy my gravlax. In fact, as I type
this, I've got a couple of salmon fillets (wild caught, so they
have lower levels of PCBs!) macerating and marinating in my refrigerator
to produce gravlax (in fact, it's a new version, which I'll share
in a future column!). Since gravlax freezes well, it's going to
be a terrific holiday season whenever I haul some of these tasty
delicacies out of my "magic freezer" (private joke). Blessed
Solstice! Happy Hannukah! Merry Christmas! Festive Kwanzaa! Happy
New Year! Whatever you choose to celebrate, celebrate well!
Whether you are celebrating by yourself, or entertaining your family,
or a larger group of friends, be sure to serve good food, serve
healthy food, and if you feel overwhelmed, you know you can come
to me for help. Whether for cooking or entertaining help, I can
be reached at 773.508.9208 or bret@god-dess.com.
Have a terrific holiday season!
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